The Bahama Journal was alerted Friday of an alleged scam being carried out by a group of people claiming to be affiliated with a non-existent South Florida-based airline.

According to information received by The Journal, the alleged ploy began more than two weeks ago when an ad was placed in local dailies announcing a job fair to fill vacancies in the soon-to-be-opened “D’Norjaza Carter Airlines.”

Hundreds of Bahamians seeking jobs showed up at the fair and were hired on the spot.

A few days later the new hires were contacted and told to bring documents including, passports, photos, resumes, birth certificates and National Insurance cards to a hotel on Friday.

Many of the hires told The Journal that they were also instructed to bring as much as $1,100 intended to cover the cost of uniforms and a week-long training seminar in South Florida.

Last Friday, the job-seekers arrived at the hotel where they were then informed that the venue had been changed to a coffee shop at the Harbour Bay Shopping Centre.

When people began arriving at Harbour Bay, they were again informed that the venue had once again changed and they were subsequently told to go to Montagu Beach.

“This is where I became convinced that something fishy was going on,” said one of the job- seekers who agreed to speak to The Journal on condition of anonymity.

“We were told to go all the way out west then here out east and now they are sending us to
Montagu Beach – this is not the way a legitimate company does things.”

Following a tip from a concerned citizen, The Journal went to Montagu Beach Friday morning where more than 100 people – with envelopes containing their documents – were gathered waiting to be processed.

Ketyna Benjamin – a woman who identified herself as the director of operations for the alleged
D’Norjaza Carter Airlines – insisted The Journal leave the premises; however The Journal continued to question Ms. Benjamin about the legitimacy of the airline and eventually she ran off in to the street and jumped in to a vehicle.

She returned to Montagu Beach a short time later but only to get into what appeared to be her personal vehicle, which was parked at the beach and then she left.

Two other men also claiming to be agents of the alleged airline insisted that the airline was a legitimate enterprise.
The men, whom The Journal has been reliably informed are in fact Ms. Benjamin’s brothers and potential accomplices to the alleged scam, said the airline was sending the new hires to train at the Pan American Flight Academy in Miami.

However, Journal online searches and enquiries about the alleged airline reveal that the
D’Norjaza Carter Airline does not exist.

“I can’t believe that this many Bahamian people were about to be taken for a ride like this,” said the job-seeker. “I guess it just goes to show how desperate people are – people are looking for work and any opportunity that comes along, people will jump at it.”

The Journal informed Royal Bahamas Police (RBPF) officials about the alleged scam and they have assured that the matter will be investigated.